The Two-Way

6:00 am

Fri March 16, 2012

Archbishop Of Canterbury Is Stepping Down

Rowan Williams, who as archbishop of Canterbury is the spiritual leader for more than 70 million Anglicans around the world, announced today that he will step down at the end of the year to become Master of Magdalene College at Cambridge University.

And asThe Independent writes, "his departure [also] comes after tensions within the Anglican Communion over the issue of homosexuality." But, the newspaper adds:

"He denied that there was a 'great sense of free at last' in view of the long-running battles between liberals and traditionalists over the issue of gays within the Anglican Communion.

" 'Crisis management is never a favorite activity,' [the archbishop said]. 'I have to admit, but it is not as if that has overshadowed everything. It has certainly been a major nuisance. But in every job that you are in there are controversies and conflicts and this one isn't going to go away in a hurry.' "

The Guardian adds that "the bookies' favorite to succeed him is the archbishop of York, John Sentamu."

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